Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus Senticosus) – Glycerin Herbal Extract BIO • Alcohol-Free • Energy • Endurance • Stress Resistance • 1:1 Extract • 50 ml

In herbal extraction, alcohol is the most effective way to release key active compounds such as eleutherosides, which are found in Siberian ginseng root. These compounds are difficult to obtain using only water or glycerine.

During production, an alcohol extract is made first so the widest possible range of adaptogenic compounds can be obtained from the root. The alcohol is then fully removed from the extract, and the pure extract is bound to an alcohol-free carrier. Alcohol is therefore only a processing tool, not an ingredient intended for consumption.

Standard capsules or tablets often contain only finely ground dried root, which the body must first process in order to obtain the active compounds. With teas, it is also difficult to estimate the final strength of the infusion.

This product is a liquid extract in a 1 : 1 ratio. That means 1 ml of extract corresponds to 1 g of dried Siberian ginseng root. Thanks to the multi-step extraction process, the eleutherosides have already been released and are ready for uptake, without placing unnecessary strain on digestion.

Once all the valuable compounds have been obtained from the ginseng root, the alcohol is evaporated using a modern low-pressure method (vacuum evaporation). This allows the alcohol to be removed at very low temperatures that do not damage the plant’s sensitive active compounds.

The result is a highly concentrated extract that is also appropriate for those who avoid alcohol, and it is stabilised in organic coconut glycerine and purified water.

Siberian ginseng contains a complex blend of substances – some are water-soluble, others alcohol-soluble. Botanicals for Life uses a multi-step process so that the bottle retains as broad a spectrum of the plant’s naturally occurring substances as possible.

The root goes through several stages of maceration in different media. This means the final extract is not just an isolated component, but contains all the synergistic substances that are typical of Siberian ginseng.

Glycerine acts as the carrier in the extract. It keeps the extract in liquid form, allows it to be dosed in drops, and contributes to the product’s stability without the presence of alcohol.

All Botanicals for Life products use plant glycerine from organic coconut, rather than a generally labelled plant glycerine from various commodity oils such as soya or rapeseed. For the customer, this is important information about the origin of the carrier – it is clear which quality raw material the medium comes from, and this is the medium in which the extract is taken over the long term.

An alcohol-free form does not in itself mean that the extract is weaker. The final concentration depends mainly on the extraction method and the ratio in which the raw material is transferred into liquid form. During production, alcohol can be an effective way to release certain compounds, but its presence in the final carrier does not determine the strength of the extract.

The main difference between a classic tincture and this product is the form. A spirit tincture keeps the alcohol as the carrier, while here it is removed once extraction is complete and the extract is transferred into coconut glycerine and water. A 1 : 1 ratio means that 1 ml of the finished extract corresponds to approximately 1 g of dried bark. Strength can therefore be judged by the clearly defined concentration, not by whether the carrier is alcohol-based.

With herbal extracts, it is better to look at the concentration than whether the carrier is alcohol-based or alcohol-free. This is exactly what the 1 : 1 figure is for – a technical indication of the ratio between the raw material and the finished extract.

A 1 : 1 ratio means that 1 ml of the finished liquid extract corresponds to approximately 1 g of dried plant material. If the recommended daily dose is 20 drops (roughly 1 ml), you get approximately the equivalent of 1 g of dried bark per day.

On the market, you will often come across extracts that do not state the ratio at all, or use other ratios such as 1 : 2 or 1 : 5. In that case, it generally applies that the higher the second number, the more diluted the finished extract is. With a 1 : 5 ratio, 1 ml of extract corresponds to approximately 0.2 g of dry matter. That is also why the 1 : 1 figure is key.

By comparison, with a lapacho decoction, the concentration depends on many factors, so few people can estimate it. With capsules, you usually know the weight of the ground bark, but it is not an extract – the active compounds have not been transferred in advance into a concentrated liquid form. With a 1 : 1 extract, the concentration is defined and dosing is done in drops.

The brand states that finished batches of extracts are laboratory tested for common contaminants. In particular, they check heavy metals, microbiological parameters (yeasts and moulds), mycotoxins and pesticide residues.

Heavy metals are linked to the environment and the soil in which the plant grows. Yeasts and moulds present a contamination risk, especially if the herbs were dried or stored incorrectly. Mycotoxins are substances that some moulds can produce. Pesticides are mainly an issue with herbs that are not grown in organic agriculture.

For the customer, the key point is that this does not assess only the origin of the raw material, but also the condition in which the finished extract is sold in the bottle. The quality of herbal food supplements consists of several steps: where the raw material comes from, how it was processed, and whether the final product meets purity requirements.